Mystery abounds as we enter Week 4 of the high school football season. Several Orlando-area teams enter this week’s games — which will be scattered between Thursday and Friday kickoffs — with question marks in the lineup. That makes for tricky game-planning, especially for opposing teams.
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One of the biggest questions is at Edgewater (3-0) with the status of running back Jahmari Hammonds. The talented sophomore’s availability remains in limbo. He has been out since leaving Edgewater’s loss to The First Academy with an injury in Week 2.
Fortunately for the Eagles, who are No. 4 in the Sentinel’s Super 16 Coaches Poll, they have a talented group of running backs. Hammonds was out last week against Windermere, but no problem. Senior Jaelyn Powell stepped up and ran for 221 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-28 victory.
So if Hammonds can’t go at Lake Nona on Thursday night, it will be up to Powell and another talented sophomore running back, Bryce Jackson, as well as the capable legs of Edgewater quarterbacks Cruz James and Joe Aicher.
No. 13 Lake Nona (2-1) has had its own lineup issues, and the availability of suspended quarterback Elijah Nickerson remains unknown.
The Edgewater-Lake Nona matchup looms as one of the biggest Super 16 showdowns, but there are several others. Also Thursday night, No. 10 Evans (1-2), coming off a 12-6 loss to No. 3 Jones (1-1), will travel to face No. 14 Winter Park (2-1), which also has lineup questions.
The Wildcats were missing quarterback Onrique Archie last week, as well as receiver Tristan Gunn and running back Josh Shaw, in a 13-10 overtime victory over Lake Nona. Archie will be out again and Winter Park will go with sophomore Cade DePriest, who has played well. He has completed 21 of 30 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
The status of Gunn and Shaw remains questionable, and head coach Tim Shifflet was waiting to see if the two were be able to practice Wednesday. Evans was also missing a key component last week, with standout defensive back Demetre Pryer in street clothes. His status is also uncertain.
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In a game that DeLand players have had circled on the calendar since the schedules were released in the spring, No. 8 Lake Mary (1-1) returns to the scene of last year’s Class 7A state quarterfinal game, where Lake Mary eliminated the Bulldogs (1-1), and ended their perfect season at 12-1.
It’s a completely different Lake Mary bunch coming to Spec Martin Stadium on Friday, as many of last year’s key contributors have departed. But the uniform remains the same and with only one starter missing from last year’s squad, DeLand, ranked No. 1 in the Super 16, definitely remembers.
District play opens up for a few teams. No. 10 Oviedo (1-2) will face a tough task Thursday with district newcomer Melbourne (2-1) coming to town. Also faced with a formidable opponent, No. 9 Osceola (2-1) hosts perennial power Lakeland (1-1) on Friday in a district rivalry renewed this season. No. 7 Bishop Moore (1-2) opens district play at Daytona Beach Seabreeze (2-1).
Undefeated seasons stretched into the playoffs for some Orlando-area teams last year, but with ramped up schedules this season, only six local teams remain unbeaten after three weeks of play: TFA, West Orange, Seminole, East Ridge, Gateway and Orangewood Christian.
Thursday’s Super 16 games
Boone (1-1) at No. 3 Jones (1-1)
No. 4. Edgewater (2-1) at No. 13 Lake Nona (2-1)
Ocoee (2-1) at No. 5 West Orange (3-0)
University (Orange City) (1-1) at No. 6 Seminole (3-0)
No. 10 Evans (1-2) at No. 14 Winter Park (2-1)#
Melbourne (2-1, 0-0) at No. 10 Oviedo (1-2, 0-0)*
Manatee (2-1) at No. 15 Lake Brantley (2-1)
Thursday’s other games
Lake Buena Vista (0-3) at Innovation (2-1)
Wekiva (2-1) at Windermere (2-1)
East River (0-3, 0-0) at Lake Howell (1-2, 0-0)*
Dr. Phillips (0-2) at Timber Creek (2-1)
Horizon (1-2) at Cypress Creek (0-3)
University (Orlando) (2-1) at Liberty (0-2-1)
Viera (2-1, 0-0) at Lyman (1-2, 0-0)*
Colonial (1-2) at Oak Ridge (1-2)
Apopka (0-3) at Olympia (2-1)
New Smyrna Beach (2-0) at Winter Springs (0-3)
The Master’s Academy (2-1) at Trinity Prep (1-2), 6:00 p.m.
Thursday’s 8-man game
Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (0-1) at City of Life Christian (0-2)
Friday’s Super 16 games
No. 2 The First Academy (Orlando) (3-0) at South Lake (0-2)
No. 8 Lake Mary (1-1) at No. 1 Deland (1-1)#
No. 7 Bishop Moore (1-2, 0-0) at Seabreeze (2-1, 0-0)*#
Lakeland (1-1, 0-0) at No. 9 Osceola (2-1, 0-0)*
No. 12 East Ridge (3-0) at South Sumter (2-1)
Lake Minneola (1-2) at No. 16 St. Cloud (2-1)
Friday’s other games
Tohopekaliga (2-1) at Celebration (0-3)
Spruce Creek (2-0) at Deltona (2-0)
Gateway (2-0, 0-0) at Harmony (1-2, 0-0)*
Vanguard (1-2, 0-0) at Leesburg (0-2, 0-0)*
Mount Dora (1-2, 0-0) at Lake Weir (2-0, 0-0)*
Lake Highland Prep (1-1) at Mount Dora Christian (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
Freedom (1-1) at Nova Lakes (2-1)
Orangewood Christian (3-0) at Father Lopez (0-2)
Pine Ridge (0-3) at Satellite (4-0)
Ridge Community (0-2, 0-0) at Poinciana (2-1, 0-0)*
Legacy Charter (0-4) at Cornerstone Charter (1-1)
CFCA (1-1) at Foundation Academy (1-1)
All Saints (1-2) at Geneva School (2-1), 6:30 p.m.
Young Kids in Motion (0-1) at West Oaks (2-2), 6:00 p.m. #
Faith Christian (0-2) at Windermere Prep (1-1), 4 p.m.
Friday’s 8-man games
Lake Mary Prep (1-2) at Calvary Chapel (2-0)
Countryside Christian (3-0) at First Academy-Leesburg (3-1)
Sports Leadership & Management (3-0) at Orlando Christian Prep (0-2)
OPEN DATE: Eustis, Hagerty, Real Life Christian, Tavares, Umatilla, Eastland Christian
*— denotes district game.
# — Winter Park game at Showalter Field, DeLand at Spec Martin Stadium, Seabreeze at Daytona Stadium, West Oaks at Northwest Sports Complex, Apopka.
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Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.